HUNTSVILLE, AL -- A spokesman for U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville, responded to a Wall Street Journal report today saying that he believes any questions over how excess travel money is spent will be dismissed by ethics investigators.

The investigation comes on the heels of a Wall Street Journal story in March that lawmakers had used cash travel stipends issued to cover costs of overseas travel, for expenses not approved by House rules, or simply kept money not spent, the Journal reported. An independent ethics board has referred the issue to the House ethics committee, according to the Journal report.

Aderholt, whose office confirmed to the Wall Street Journal that it had been contacted by ethics investigators, told the Wall Street Journal that he doesn't know if he kept any excess travel money because he does not keep receipts.

Aderholt made those comments for a March Wall Street Journal story that said a dozen congressmen of both parties, including Aderholt, traveled to Lithuania for a meeting of the Helsinki Commission, an independent U.S. government agency made up of members of Congress that promotes democracy, security and human rights.

The lawmakers were each given $941 each in local currency to cover expenses for the six-day trip, the Journal story said.

Aderholt's spokesman, D.J. Jordan, issued a statement this morning saying he anticipates the matter will be dismissed because the House had no clear rules on the use of per diem prior to May of this year.

"The Office of Congressional Ethics refers matters to the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, even if they are recommending a dismissal and that's what we anticipate for this matter - a dismissal.

"During the time of Rep. Aderholt's official human rights conference trip in 2008, there were no clear procedures or rules for per diem reimbursement and that's why Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi created new Congressional travel rules regarding per diem reimbursement in May of this year. During and after overseas trips, Congressman Aderholt was not asked for receipts or excess travel money. This investigation is a result of a New York newspaper report, and it is more of an examination of murky travel procedures, rather than of the Congressmen involved."

"We are perplexed as to why the Office of Congressional Ethics would devote resources to an inquiry like this but we are fully complying and the Congressman looks forward to this matter being fully dismissed."